Feeding mechanism for metal-treating machines



A. F. CLARKE June 1o, 1930,

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL TREATING MACHINES Filed Deo. 24, 1926 4 Smets-Sheet 1 June l0, 1930. A. F. CLARKE 1,763,092

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL TREATING MACHINES Filed Deo. v24. 1926 4 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEYS June 1o, 1930.

A. F. CLARKE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL TREATING MACHINES Filed Deo. 24, 15.92\6

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 10,1930.

A. F. CLARKE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL TREATING MACHINES Fiied Dee. 24. 192s 4 Sheets-'Sheet 4 Patented June 1.0, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ALEXANDER FIELDER CLARKE, OF VERONA, PENNSYLVANIA, A SSIGNOR TO COFFEE 'PLATE SHEET AND TUBE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW FEEDING MECHiANISM FOB. METAL-TREATIN G MACHINES Application led December 24, 1926. Serial Nio. 156,976.

This invention relates to feed mechanism for metal treating systems 'and more particularly toy feeding and pulling rolls for use in connection with the apparatus employed in the treatment of metal strips.

In a copending application of William E. Watkins, Serial Number 144,685 filed October 28, 1926, there is disclosed and claimed a process of treating metal strips in which the strips are fed longitudinally through a furace in suspended form and vsubjected to eat.

In the' present invention I provide feeding mechanism particularlyadapted for 'use in such process, but `capable of use in other systems in which metal strips are treated. The feeding mechanism forming'the subject v matter of the present invention consists of two parts, the feed rolls and the pulling rolls. The feed rolls are arranged on the inlet side of the furnace and consist of one or more pairs of rolls havingsuitable drive means and means for're ulating the pressure exerted on the strip y the rolls.

The feeding mechanism also includes one or more cleaning devices by means of which any oil or other foreign .substance is removed from the strip before the strip passes into the coatingmachine. Various forms of cleanin able guiding mechamsm is also arranged in front of the rolls to guide the strip into them. It is advantageous to retain the strip in a straight line as it passes through the feed` rolls and subsequentapparatus, as this reduces the tendency toward distortion when the .strip is heated.

The pulling rolls are essentially similar to the construction of the feeding rolls but are mounted on a movable truck whereby the tensionof the portion of the strip within the furnace may be automatically-'regulated by the movement'of'the truck. A suitable wei ht may beconnected-to therear of the truc and suspended so that the tension of the strip will be automatically regulated b the weight.` Suitable means are provided for limiting the movement of the truck.

' This method of regulating the tension of devices may be' employed. Suitthe strip is an importantfeature. of my invention, when the pulling rolls are employed in a system where a suspended strip is fed through a furnace as in the Watkins process referred to above, for in such systems it is important that the tension be carefully regulated. The pulling rolls may also be provided with a counter-weight whichis normally inactive but which is brought `into operation when the truck is moved rearwardly, a predetermined distance by the first mentioned weight. l

In the drawings I have dia rammatically illustrated the arrangement o the feed rolls and ,ulling rolls in connection vwith a system in w ich a metal strip is fed through a fur: nace in suspended form and have also shown in detail the construction of the feed rolls and pulling rolls.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing a furnace and cooling chamber and showing the arrangement of the feeding rolls and pulling rolls with respect thereto;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the feeding rolls and pulling rolls on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the feeding rolls;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view of one gf. the cleaning devices on line 6-6 of 1g. 4" Fig. 7 is a transverse, sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 4; l

Fig. 8 is'viewed in elevation substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 4, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in claimed in the copending application of between which the strip passes.

D. W. Blair, Serial Number 151,371, filed November 29, 1926.

A cooling chamber, 5is arranged at the outlet end of the furnace and is provided with suitable rolls or supports, 6, over which the strip is adapted to pass. The strip may be cooled in this chamber in any suitable manner. The pulling rolls are arranged beyond the cooling chamber and are indicated' generally by the reference numeral 7.` It is, of course, understood that the illustration of a furnace and cooling chamber in `connection with the feeding and pulling mechanism is merely illustrative and that the feeding and pulling mechanism may be employed inconnection with any system for treating strip metal. The apparatus may thus include suitable coating machines such as that described and claimed in the lVatkins Patent #1,295,820, which would be arrangedyon the inlet side of thevfurnace and may further include pickling and washing tanks between the cooling mechanism and the pulling rolls.

,Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the

pulling mechanism consists of pairs of rolls One or more pairs of rolls may be employed. In this instance I have illustrated'a pair of rolls, 8 and 9, and a second pair of similar rolls, 10 and 11. These rolls are mounted 1n bearings, 12, carried by a, frame, 13, Supported on a suitable base, 14. The feed rolls are driven by a motor, 15, which may be fastened to the base in any suitable manner as by bolts, 16. A spur gear, 17, is carried by the motor shaft and meshes with a gear, 18, on a power shaft, 19. A gear, 20, on the other end of the power shaft meshes with-a gear, 2l, connected to one end of the feed roll, 11. A gear, 22, is arranged on the opposite end of this feed roll and meshes with a gear, 23, carried by the upper feed roll, 10, of the second pair. The rolls,.8 and 9, are similarly interconnected by gears, 24 and 25, and power is supplied to these rolls by an intermediate gear, 26, meshing with the gear, 22, and the gear, 25, respectively. The strip of metal, A, passes between the feed rolls, 8 and 9, and then be- Vtween the feed rolls, 10 and 11. The rolls,

Sand 10, may be adjusted with respect to lthe rolls, 9 and 11, by means of worm wheels, 27 and worms, 28. The worm wheels, 27, receive threaded rods, 29, the lower ends of which are enlarged as at 30 worms, 28, are carried by transverse rods or shafts, -33, -which are provided with squared ends, 34, for the reception of a wrench or other operating tool.

Anextension, 35, is arranged at the front of the frame and this extension is adapted to support a cleaning device illustrated in detail in Figs. 6,.,9 and 10 of the drawings. `As shown, the cleaning device consists of a frame or support,f36, which is mounted on the extension, 35. A air of sleeves, 37 and 38 are carried by this frame. A bolt or rod, 39, passes. through the sleeve, 37, and a similar bolt or rod, 40, passes through the sleeve, 38. A horizontal cross bar, 41, is fixed with respect to the sleeve, 37, the arrangement being such that this bar is hinged to or pivots about the rod, 39. A second horizontal bar, 42, carries a shoe, 43, faced with a layer of felt cloth or similar material as indicated at 44. The bar, 42, is carried by screw threaded members, 45 and 46, having screw threaded engagement with the bar, 41. These members can be rotated to vary the position of the shoe, 43. Sprocket wheels, 47 and 48, are carried by these members and are interconnected by a chain, 49 (see Figs 6 and 9). The bar, 42, is free to slide vertically on the sleeves, 37 and 38, and the bar, 41, is provided with a notch, 50, adapted to receive the upper end of the bolt, 40. A nut, 51, arranged on the bolt, 40, serves as a means for clamping the bar, 41, against the upper end of the sleeve, 38. When this nut is loosened, the bars, 41 and 42, and the adjusting members, 45 and 46. can be swung as a unit about the rod, 39.

vThe strip of metal, A, passes between the shoe, 44, and a corresponding shoe, 52, carried by the support, 36, and covered with a layer of felt, 53. The pivotal support of the upper shoe permitsrit to be swung to one side when threading a strip of metal through the apparatus.

After the strip of metal, A, passes between the felts 44 and 53, of the cleaning device, it passes to a guiding device, 54, the details of which are shown in Figs. 4 and 8. The guiding device consists of a frame having an upper horizontal member, 55, and a lower horizontal member, 56. A supporting plate, 57, over which the strip of metal passes is carried by the lower horizontal member. The lower horizontal member also carries end guiding members, 58 and 59, which are clamped against it by a movable cross bar, 60. This cross bar is carried by threaded rods, 61, which pass through the upper horizontal member, 55, of the frame nand are providedwith suitable hand wheels, 62, to permit operation of the threaded rods to raise and lower the cross-bar, 60.

of metal passes between the guidin plates,

57 and 63, lateral movement of t e strip being prevented by the end guiding members, 58 and 59, which engage the edges of the strip.

Auxiliary cleaning devices, 65 and 66,-

may be arranged in front of each pair of pressure rolls. These auxiliary cleaning devices serve to remove any foreign substances not removed from the strip by the shoes, 44 and 58. An additional cleaning device, 67, (see Fig. 4) may be arranged beyondthe last set of rolls. The details of this device are shown in Fig. 11 ofthe drawings. As shown, it consists of aA lower supporting plate, 68, carrying a shoe, 69, covered with felt or other suitable material. The support, 68, is mounted ona bracket, 72, of the frame, 13.` An upper shoe, 73, carrying a layer of felt, 74, is hinged to the lower shoe at one side as at 75. The opposite side of the upper shoe is provided with a detachable catch, 7 6,.which serves tp hold the shoes in operative position when desired. When lthe catchl is released, the upper shoe can be swung on its pivot away from the lower shoe. v

to the pulling mechanism, 7 In the fur-- nace the strip is heated to a temperature of from 1,600o to 2,200o F. and-it is necessary that the tension ,of that portion of the.

I strip within the furnace be carefully regulated. If the tension of the strip becomes excessive, the strip will become distorted and may even break within the furnace. The tension can be maintained at a suitable constant value by providing pulling mechanism by means `of which the strip may always be subjected to a constant pull. The arrangement of the rolls and 'driving devices of the pulling mechanism is. practically identical withv the construction of the feed rolls lheretofore described. The pulling mechanism, however, is mounted on a suitable truck, 77, having wheels, 78,'adapted to travel on tracks, 79. An adjustableY weight, 80, is connected to the rear end of the truck, 77 by a cord, 81, passing over a pulley, 82. Thist weight serves to counterbalance the tension of that portion of the strip within the furnace. If the4 pulling mechanism-has a tendency to increase the tension of the strip beyond a desired limit, the condition of equilibrium is destroyed and the strip moves the truck, 7 7 forwardly on the tracks, 79. If there is too much slack in the strip, the weight', 80, moves thel truck further away froml the end of the cooling chamber 5, vthus automatically increasing'the tension of the strlp.

After the strip has passed throughthe furnace and cooling chamber, it is delivered i In order to prevent the weight, 80, from pulling the truck, 77,4 too far along the tracks, 79, I employ a counter-weight, 88, which is connected to the forward end of the truck by a cord,.84, passing over a pulley,I

85. The weight is supported on a suitable shelf or bracket, 86, and there is normally sufficient slack in the cord84, to render'the weight, 83, inoperative. When the weight, 80, pulls the truck close to the rear end of the track, the weight, '83, is lifted placing an additional pull on the truck in a forward direction and reventin further rearward movement. stop, 8 may be arranged atthe rear end of the track, 79, to bring the truck, 77, to a full stop if the weight, 83, is insufficient to overcome the weight, 80.

The apparatus thus provides means for feedinga continuous strip of metal through 'a furnace o r other treating apparatus and maintains a constant tension on the strip.

to be operated from an independent source of power in each instance, but it will be apparent that the power shaft, 19, of the feeding rolls and the corresponding power shaft of the pulling rolls can be driven from a single source through the use of suitable drive mechanism. The cleanin and guiding devices associated with the ceding rolls are designed to render the entire construction compactand readily accessible.

1. In anv apparatus for feeding metal strips, a pair `of movably mounted pulling rolls and a weight attachedytoone end of said pulling rolls to regulate the tension of the strip. Y

2. In an apparatus for feeding metal strips, a movable'truck, a pair of pulling rolls mounted on said' truck and adapted to receive a continuous strip whereby a pull is exerted on said truck, and a weight connected to said truck and adapted to exert a pull on the truck in the opposite direction from the pull exerted by the strip.

3. In an apparatus for feeding metal strips, .a movable truck, aipair of pulling rolls mounted on said truck and adapted to receive a continuous strip whereby a pull is exerted on said truck, and a weight connected to s aid truck, adapted to exert a pull on the truck in the'opposite direction from the pull exerted by the strip, and a counter- .weiglit connected to the other end of said truc 4f The method of controlling the tension 

